Quint visits Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright on the set of HOT FUZZ!!!

Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. As some of you might remember, I journeyed to the United Kingdom last year. That trip had three main targets. I was going to visit the productions of three geek-related films in the span of 5 days. The first was THE MUTANT CHRONICLES at Shepperton Studios, a film that hadn't started production yet and was still in its early stages. That report can be read here!!! The second film I visited was the Matthew Vaughn helmed fantasy flick STARDUST, adapted from a book by Neil Gaiman, this time at the legendary Pinewood Studios. Click here for that report!!!
The third and final stop was the film that I had arranged this trip for in the first place. STARDUST and MUTANT CHRONICLES fell into place later, but I had an open invitation to visit the set of HOT FUZZ, the next film from Edgar Wright and comic fried gold duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the mad genius' behind SPACED and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I met Edgar right after SHAUN OF THE DEAD was finished. He came to America to show the print to George A. Romero and swung by Austin to screen the film for us at AICN. Since then I seem to bump into Edgar at the oddest places... LA, Toronto, San Diego... He was on a whirlwind tour when SHAUN came out and happened to be in many of the same places when I was.
I know Simon and Nick much less than I do Edgar, but in the time I've spent with them I can tell you they are genuine people, Simon being so much like us (translation: geek) it's uncanny. Both are warm, kind and insanely funny people. Just like you'd hope they'd be.
So, that's the brief set-up to my visit. What'd I see?
Well, they were shooting in a small town called Wells, about 45 minute's drive from Bristol. From London I had to catch a train from Paddington Station to Bristol. I met up with the ladies handling the publicity for the film as well as a reporter from UK magazine Total Film, who joined up on this visit and looked strangely like Tom Everette Scott. The train took about an hour and a half, but when we pulled into Bristol the previously gray weather had cleared and the sky was full of sunshine and puffy white clouds.
The drive to the set was one of my favorite parts of the trip and almost certainly my favorite view of England. Rolling green hills, small, but very old towns, etc.
Wells is a small town surrounded by an incredibly elaborate and massive church. The church towers over everything.
You'll have to bear with me a bit. This trip was almost a year ago and my noggin is filled with cobwebs, but I'm going to try to remember as much as I can. I wasn't there for much, just one sequence that can be partially seen in the first trailers.
Filming was being done on a small city street. I snuck this shot... nothing major, just a movie crew, but you can get a feel for how small these streets were and you can even get a glimpse of the church towering over everything.

The Total Film reporter and I were parked on a sidewalk... right near the spot where that above photo was taken, oddly. I realized a little too late that I left my notepad back in London and the fear hit me. My memory sucks! That's why I keep referring to the Total Film reporter as the Total Film reporter, not by the dude's name!
A quick look around uncovered a Woolworth's a few shops down the street from me, so I excused myself, zig-zagged through the onlookers, and entered the store. There was a run on SPACED and SHAUN OF THE DEAD DVDs in the store as onlookers bought them up to get signed. I found a little hardcover notebook, which was much more classy than my needs required, but it was all I could find, so I quickly purchased it and headed back out to the street.
I missed one take while shopping for my memory-keeper, but I ended up seeing a variation of this sequence all day, so I don't think I missed too much.
It was Simon Pegg hauling ass down the street after a shoplifter dressed in a purple jump suit. I wrote the word "Wigger" down in my notes, but that trip to London taught me another term: "Chav." And I'm sure Chav is what this bloke in the purple was meant to be.
Trailing Simon was Nick Frost, running like the rhino in JUMANJI, much slower than Pegg, but persistent, Bobby Cap in hand plodding down the street.
Pegg's body language was very determined, uptight. He ran looking straight ahead, neck locked, hands open like he had karate chop action as his arms pumped up and down as he sped after the shoplifter.
After the second take, Simon walked back to his starting point, past my group. Huffing a bit, he looked over and saw me, raising a hand in greeting. He angled my way and came over to say hello. He asked if I liked his "TERMINATOR 2 run," and I just had to laugh. He was totally doing the Robert Patrick. I knew I'd seen that body language somewhere before.
The next take was up and he hurried back to his mark. The only thing I noticed done differently in the next takes was Nick's placement further back, so he was even further behind... at least 20 feet or so.
It was around this time I got a glimpse of Edgar, who stayed next to the camera at all times, holding a wireless monitor in his hands. I'd assume this was a way for him to not be trapped in video village and allow him easier access to direct Simon and Nick.
The next set-up had the trinity running past a Gold Man. You know, like those street performers who paint themselves some metallic color. This, I was told later, was a running gag in the film. The guy underneath the metallic paint was the star of Edgar's first film, spaghetti western spoof A FISTFUL OF FINGERS.
One of my favorite parts of FISTFUL OF FINGERS is the kick-ass opening animation, total Sergio Leone stuff, done by Edgar's brother Oscar. I saw a dude that looked like a older, slightly plumper, version of Edgar running around and assumed it was Oscar. I introduced myself and sure enough, it was Oscar. He also did those great comic book continuations on the SHAUN OF THE DEAD DVD. He was filming behind the scenes stuff when I was there, but I did get to spend a goodly amount of time speaking with him.
Edgar came over during a reloading of the camera and talked to us for a second. In this time an elderly woman who had been watching on the sidelines came up and asked us what was going? What was this picture? Who was in it? We answered her, but she didn't seem to care one way or the other about our answers. She wanted to inform us that she used to be in the movies and was once Elizabeth Taylor's stand-in on IVANHOE. How cool is that? Some random old lady... I can imagine the stories she has.
One of the next big pieces I saw on this visit was a continuation of this chase, but one with a stunt performed by Mr. Simon Pegg. As he's chasing the Chav, they pass an open alleyway. Out of this alley comes a jeep, almost hitting the purple-jump-suit wearing thief, who just barely dodges the automobile. Without pausing, Simon's character leaps up and slides over the hood, continuing the chase. After a few seconds, Nick comes puffing up and just kind of careens around the nose of the jeep and continues himself.
Simon executed the jump flawlessly on the first take, however his slide over the hood was a little slow. The first take was over and he got applause from the 50 or so crew and the, probably, 100 locals who came out to watch. Second take, the jeep skids, Simon jumps, but this time he wasn't high enough and his foot hit on his way over, causing him to tumble. He wasn't in any serious peril, but it didn't look comfortable either. He was okay and they go a few more times until Edgar got what he wanted.
The publicist takes the Total Film guy to have a chat with Nick after they get the shots they need and are changing camera position. Watching from down the street, I had to hold back laughter as Wells locals would interrupt Nick's interview with Total Film to ask him what was going on. He was still dressed up as a cop, you see, and apparently he was very convincing as he kept getting asked questions from people on the street.
To illustrate how crowded it was getting, how many people were about watching the filming, there was an accident involving an onlooker. An elderly woman tripped over something... probably another onlooker's foot, and fell to the pavement. Hard. She cracked her head pretty good about halfway in between Nick and the Total Film reporter and where I was standing.
Nick rushed over to her and helped her up. Her head was bleeding and Nick treated her as the onset medics were called, talking to her and keeping her calm. If I didn't recognize Nick as a comic mastermind, this could have been any cop show, with a bobby helping a random injured lady.
Shortly after she was taken by the medic, it was my turn to chat with Nick Frost. Being the professional I am, I was completely unprepared, having thought I was just going to watch them shoot. So, of course, I interviewed both Nick and Simon. Luckily, my tape recorder was in my laptop bag.
As you'll tell from both interviews... they're very daft and conversational. Especially Simon's. But here's the chat I had with Nick, right there on the street.

Nick Frost: Did you get to see much of the SXSW this year.

Quint: Yeah, all but 3 days worth. I had to go to ShoWest right in the middle of SXSW.

Nick Frost: Right. Did you see The Arctic Monkeys?

Quint: I usually don't get a chance to see the music stuff. I'm usually left with just a film badge.

Nick Frost: You enjoying... you haven't seen much, I guess.

Quint: I'm having a great time in England.

Nick Frost: Are you going to be allowed to come and see our one-minute teaser tonight?

Quint: They're putting me on a train back... but now that I know about it, I'm certainly going to miss not seeing it. Thanks.

Nick Frost: (laughs) They cut together a little reel to kind of spur everyone on.

Quint: How far along in the shoot are you?

Nick Frost: This is our 8th week. So what've we got left? Four? Four and a bit? But I kinda get the sense that we might overrun slightly. There's stuff that we've dropped. But yeah, it's going very well, I think.

Quint: I really like your hat.

Quint: Are you going to get to keep it?

Nick Frost: I don't know, actually.

Quint: You should try to keep the whole uniform. You never know when it'll come in handy.

Nick Frost: I know! Just walk into my local pub. A little later on in the film I get to wear a vest as well, a kevlar vest which is nice. I enjoy it a lot more because it hides a lot of my tummy.

Quint: Before I left I put a story up on the site announcing my trip to London and I didn't mention anything about visiting this set, but I still got 2 dozen emails saying, "Have fun at HOT FUZZ! Tell me everything!" The geeks are dying to see this one.

Nick Frost: That's good, though, right?

Quint: Yeah! People want to find out about the movie.

Nick Frost: We did something... good, with SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Going to do the Q&As with SHAUN OF THE DEAD... I think we went about it the right way, you know, and hopefully we're going to do exactly the same with this film, too. It's such an important... I mean, you can't beat the internet. There's so many people there... it's the perfect tool, you know?

Quint: It's a very nice ride so far for you guys because, I'd guess, of SPACED. You built up a solid fanbase with the show and that built on to SHAUN OF THE DEAD and it's probably going to get even bigger with HOT FUZZ. Especially with an international appeal, I think the internet can be of great use.

Nick Frost: Hopefully this will be the kind of film that even if you haven't seen SHAUN OF THE DEAD people will enjoy it and they will then go back and retroactively look for SHAUN OF THE DEAD and SPACED. Hopefully.

Quint: So, in the movie you play a police officer already in this small town...

Nick Frost: Yeah, I'm a Sanford local, which is the town we film in. I'm kind of what you'd call a Saturday Boy. Do you know what that is?

Quint: I don't.

Nick Frost: In Britain, for instance, your parents kind of force you, at quite a young age, to go and get a job on a Saturday, which usually would be stacking shelves or working in a fruit and vegetable... you know, sort of like that. So, I'm kind of like a simple Saturday Boy. You're not too sure how he ever got into the police force, but he's here. It's such a rural community that there's never any crime and there's never and trouble and it's easy for my character just to drift and bumble happily. He's a very happy character. He's almost slightly simple, he's so happy about everything that he's borderline simple.
And he's a big fan of the action genre and he kind of yearns for something more. He yearns to be a John McClane, you know, or a Lethal Weapon.

Quint: Who would you rather be, Tango or Cash?

Nick Frost: I'd pick K-9. I'd totally be K-9.

Quint: (laughs) You like the Belushi route.

Nick Frost: (laughs) Yeah. Simon's Belushi. I think (my character) has a lot of dog in him, you know? That pure kind of (pants like a dog), you know? "Is everyone alright?" Yeah, but he wants a car chase, he wants a shoot-out. He wants it all. He kind of feels like he's missin' out, which he isn't really. But later on, when it kicks off, he gets his wish, I suppose.

Quint: Does he like it when he finally sees it or is the reality too much for him?

Nick Frost: He likes it. Why wouldn't he? (laughs)

Nick Frost: I don't mind it! I don't mind the physical... If anything, I get slightly jealous because Simon's got to do a lot of it, you know?

[At this point two giggling girls come up and ask for a picture of them with Nick]

Nick Frost: Done! Perfect!

Giggling Girl #1: Thank you!

Giggling Girl #2: Can I have one, too?

Nick Frost: Yeah, come on!

Quint: You're a rock star, man.

Nick Frost: (nonchalant) Sure, I guess... I do get jealous 'cause I see Simon doing all the action...

Giggling Girl #2: Thank you!

Nick Frost: Sure.

Giggling Girl #3: Can I get a picture?

Nick Frost: I'm gonna start charging now... That's a cool phone.

Giggling Girl #3: Thank you!

Nick Frost: You're welcome. Yeah... so, I'd say if we do another film together I'd like a little more rough & tumble.

Quint: Maybe Simon could never move in the next one.

Nick Frost: Yeah, maybe he can be in a floating cart because of his gout!

Quint: He'll be the boy in the plastic bubble or something.

Nick Frost: (laughs) I'll be his carer...

Nick was pulled back to work, and away from his adoring fans. Not long thereafter was lunch, where I had a nice, off the record, chat with Edgar. Caught up a little bit. And then I was ushered into Simon Pegg's trailer for our on-the-record chat. Not that you can really tell a difference. The interview Simon and I did is about as fly on the wall banal geek conversation as you can get. We talk video games, movies, comedy and then a little about the movie at the very end.
One thing I couldn't help but notice when I walked in was Simon's DVD shelf, which was most sci-fi. COMMUNION, X-FILES and lots of Alien-themed movies. Research? If we're lucky.
So, here's the embarrassingly geeky chat I had with Simon. Enjoy!

Simon Pegg: You know... what's his name? David Cross?

Quint: Yeah, Mr. Show!

Simon Pegg: I love that show! I've been watching that and Arrested Development in here.

Quint: Have you seen the bit where they keep repeating the guy falling into the thimble rack?

Simon Pegg: No. I've only got seasons 1 and 2.

Quint: This is later.

Simon Pegg: I've got over to Ken's in New York and get my latest stock of American DVDs. How long did it run for? Is it still running?

Quint: No, no... It was cancelled early by HBO. There was a big controversy about it because it had good ratings. For whatever reason they cancelled it.

Simon Pegg: It's pretty uncompromising, though, isn't it? I mean, HBO, though... But I kind of discovered it through Arrested Development. You know, seeing David Cross on that.

Quint: David Cross is awesome.

Simon Pegg: Yeah, he's cool.

Quint: Have you seen the Mr. Show movie?

Simon Pegg: No!

Quint: It's called RUN, RONNIE, RUN and it's based on...

Simon Pegg: Oh, Ronnie Dobbs! Yeah-yeah-yeah.

Quint: And it's a whole movie starring Ronnie Dobbs.

Simon Pegg: No way! I've gotta get that, eh?

Quint: They repeat a lot of jokes from the show, but I still think it's really funny.

Simon Pegg: I'll have to get that. I'll have to put it on my list... Yeah, I started watching it... I was in Canada doing something and I put it on there and I was just like, "This is fucking great! This is so funny!"

Quint: And I have a huge crush on Sarah Silverman, so it's easy to watch Mr. Show...

Simon Pegg: Ah, man. She's gorgeous, isn't she? I saw her, actually. I did the Jimmy Kimmel Show when we over in LA last time and she was there because she goes out with him, right?

Quint: Yeah.

Simon Pegg: Yeah, she's lovely. She's really sexy.

Quint: I saw her at SXSW when she showed up with her movie, JESUS IS MAGIC. Even in person... On one hand, I hate Jimmy Kimmel, but on the other hand... It's like... if he has a shot...

Simon Pegg: (laughs) "Why can't I?"

Quint: I just gotta put down the desert, drop about 30 pounds and I'm about on his level!

Simon Pegg: (laughs) Oh my God... So, you're just down for, like, a day down here?

Quint: Down here, yeah. I fly back tomorrow, but I've had about 4 days in London.

Simon Pegg: Is this your first time out of the capital, though, in terms of rural...

Quint: I went to both Pinewood and Shepperton, which is kind of out of London and I flew into Gatwick, which was like 30 miles....

Simon Pegg: Yeah, I know. It's miles away, isn't it?

Quint: But this is the first real English countryside I've seen.

Simon Pegg: It's a nice little town, actually, for that.

Quint: I'm not a really big fan of Central London. I love the Westminster area... the parts of London where you can really see the history... "Oh, I've seen Chevy Chase drive through here!" you know?

Simon Pegg: Yeah yeah. (laughs) EUROPEAN VACATION!

Quint: So I guess I like the areas that feel European to me, whereas most of London feels like any Big City Anywhere.

Simon Pegg: Yeah, absolutely. It's very urban, London.

Quint: But out here is beautiful. I totally kept thinking I was seeing the Willy Wonka towns on the train out here. You know, the Charlie Bucket neighborhoods...

Simon Pegg: (laughs) Exactly! Exactly! I know it's funny for Edgar because this is where he grew up.

Quint: He actually grew up in Wells?

Simon Pegg: Yeah, yeah. I've seen films on videos that he made when he was 17, like the precursor to HOT FUZZ. It's hilarious. But to come back to your hometown and make a movie. I think he's having a weird time.

Quint: (Noticing his game system) Is that a PS1 or a PS2?

Simon Pegg: That's a PS2. I bought it because it's nice and portable. I've got a PSP and I'm waiting for the PS3.

Quint: So, you're on that side of the console wars.

Simon Pegg: The Xbox 360, my cousin got it and it just looks amazing, but I don't know. You got that thing where you get console... loyalty. You know what I mean? I did get an Xbox, but I didn't really take to it.

Quint: I like the Xbox controller more, so that's probably the breaker for me.

Simon Pegg: I've just been playing RESIDENT EVIL 4. It's soooo good. I've completed it, like, 5 times, but if you can get more money you can get better weapons and just go through with machine guns and mow everybody down!

Quint: I remember back in the day when Doom hit and you first discover...

Simon Pegg: God mode!

Quint: Yeah... and I remember going... "I wonder if I can beat the big rocket-firing demon... with a pistol!" This guy that takes 80 rockets to kill... but let's see how long it takes me to kill him with just a pistol! I spent hours...

Simon Pegg: (laughs) Those cheats were great, weren't they?

[Knock on the door from a PA saying they're ready for Simon]

Simon Pegg: Okay, I'll be just about 5 minutes.

Quint: So, I guess we should actually talk about the movie!

Simon Pegg: I can talk to you this afternoon, as well.

Quint: So... you and Edgar co-wrote the script together again, right?

Simon Pegg: Yeah. We were just sort of looking at the state of British cinema. All we seem to do is make films about criminals, so we said, "Let's make one about the police force." We never like to make it easy for ourselves, so we thought it'd be funny to take what is ostensibly quite uncool figure, the bobby, and inject him with a bit of cool.
It's weird because with SHAUN... it was a very recognizable genre to come in to, especially overseas. We all know what zombie films are and they're kind of universal, whereas this... is coming at it from a slightly more (English) angle. I think with SHAUN before us... I think people might take a bit more interest in this.

Quint: You've totally built up your fanbase. I was telling Nick that before I left I posted a story on the site saying I was headed to London, without mentioning anything specific, and I got 2 dozen emails from people going, "Say hi to Nick and Simon for me!" Just by yourselves you have a following.

Simon Pegg: (laughs) That's cool. That's really good. They're just about to show Spaced on BBC America, I heard. I read about it.

Quint: I thought there was a rights issue with the Star Wars music.

Simon Pegg: There's a rights issue in terms of a DVD release, but we got it down to, like, 3 songs that we need to just change, then we can release it. It might happen.

Quint: In terms of your character in HOT FUZZ, what kind of arc are you looking at for him?

Simon Pegg: I wanted to play someone who was really different to Tim and to Shaun, who most people know me for. I have played very different characters since, but because this is another production from Edgar and me and Universal and Working Title, I wanted him to be completely different, so we purposefully made him the opposite of those guys. He's not a slacker by any means. He doesn't know anything about culture. He knows about culture, but he doesn't got to the cinema, he doesn't watch TV... he just listens to the radio. He's a complete and utter workhorse, he's completely dedicated to his job. He's left-wing in terms of being a very liberal policeman who's in it for the right reasons. He's in it to change and make a difference, to preserve the law, which he believes in whole-heartedly.
He is a little bit like the T-1000 (laughs)! He's just dedicated and humorless, in a way. And I think Danny, which is Nick's character, is the opposite of that.

Quint: So, you're the straight man.

Simon Pegg: Yeah, very much so. He looks at everything like he doesn't understand things. When people make jokes, he's kinda like, "Huh?" And Danny begins to educate him in the ways of loosening up a bit.

Quint: You're the Tango of the relationship.

Simon Pegg: Yes, exactly. (laughs) We were going to call the pub the Tango and Hutch... well... There was a joke in it at one point where this guy went, "Oh, shut up Tango & Hutch!" I think we changed that to "Crockett and Tubby."
But yeah, he's a robot really, but it's something he learns to let go of finally. But it's amazing working suddenly with a cast that is a lot older. A lot of our older statespeople are in the cast. People like Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent and Paul Freeman... you know, Belloq for Christ's sakes! It's amazing to be acting off them. There's a different atmosphere onset. They're no less fun. Stuart Wilson as well, who is the bad guy in LETHAL WEAPON 3 and NO ESCAPE... they're just as mischievous, but it's interesting getting into character around those guys.
I was sitting on set the other day thinking, "There's James Bond, Mrs. Baylock, Belloq... it's like a fanboy's dream!

Quint: I can't wait to see Belloq again... You don't... well, at least in the states, you don't really see him in anything.

Simon Pegg: You know, he's a big theater actor here. He does a little TV, but it wasn't like he just launched off into a big Hollywood career after (RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK)... I told him that I'd read Frank Darabont's sequel that he'd written and it was really good. I really loved it. He was really interested to hear about that. But that was my, "Oh, what can I talk about with Paul? What's my way in with Paul? Oh, I know!"

Before I could pin Pegg down and force him to spill on Darabont's INDIANA JONES 4 film that will never be, I was kicked out so Pegg could get touched up and get ready for the second half of his shooting day.
Shortly after lunch my time on the set of HOT FUZZ was ended in order to make a train that was an hour's drive away. One of these days I'd love to spend a week watching Edgar, Simon and Nick play, but I'm grateful for the time I got. And I can't wait to see the damn movie.
Sorry the set report was so long in the making. I wasn't embargoed, I just got very behind. Now the film is in release in London and a couple months away here in the states. My understanding is the opening for HOT FUZZ was huge in the UK. Can't wait!
I leave with you with another photo taken from my time in Wells. It's just a street sign with the production HQ sign below it, but I like the picture. Plus you can see the Total Film reporter who looks like Tom Everrett Scott's face in the bottom left hand corner! Sorry I can't remember your name, man!

... I could blame an embargo on the tardiness of this report, but it was just me getting behind. I've had it half-written on the computer since the flight back from London, but I traveled so much last year... 5 international flights, plus Comic-Con and other set visits and my regular grind updating news stories, seeing and reviewing movies and going to film festivals. I just kept putting it off.<BR><BR>In my defense, the movie is still months away from release stateside, so... that's something, right?

How did Simon Pegg get hold of the Darabont screenplay? Was he up for a role? IS he up for a role? Or is it one of those Hollywood things where you can get hold of any script you want if you've acted in a film at some point? Quint, inquiring minds want to know!

...that's a lot of ire for a mistake made by someone who doesn't live in Wells, near Wells, in England or even in the UK. He was there for a day, dude! Might we all guess you have some association with Wells, mate?

You're both on the same wavelength and you could have finished each other's sentences.
That way, your subject enjoys the chat and he's eager to please you with little nuggets of stuff he knows you (and your readers) would appreciate.
I read the LA Times interview of Inarritu, by Susan King. It was a two page article, with HALF the article mostly taken up by who Inarritu is. The meat of her interview was in the second page, where she asked questions which he answered elsewhere and more comprehensively. It seems like a job for her, while you geeked out with each of your subjects and I hear how they'd talk in their unguarded moments.
As a contrast to both, I downloaded that Charlie Rose interview of the three Mexicans, Cuaron, del Toro and Inarritu. Rose's questions were fairly well-thought out and intelligent, but I love the banter between the three caballeros how they would kid while they answer. You really got to see the dynamic between the three and how they all willingly support each other simply because that's what friends do.
Well, your set visit for Shaun isn't exactly the same, but there's a lot of friendship there too, to hell with "reportorial objectivity".

I've been here all 31 years of my life and to this day I have never seen a sidewalk! Pavements everywhere, no sidewalks! ;o)
Good write-up Quint. They seem like top blokes. I remember Simon Pegg back when he was doing the sketch show 'Big Train' with Mark Heap et al.. very funny show, you have to see it if you can get a chance.

the UK. What will be interesting will be its american opening, the critically reviled Ghost rider raked in 44 million. British Cop movie which homages American cop movie. Will american audiences lap it up. I thought it was oustanding.

first off I also come from a small city that has a cathederal and is constantly calling it a town so I feel my co talkbackers pain.
Second I'm seeing Hotfuzz tonight. Can't frigging wait. I would of seen it sooner though I hate busy cinemas(I feel justified using British words here. There is no shame in being British with Gold like this coming out.)
I discovered Spaced on a late Friday night without knowing a thing about it. It was a revalation. Like a lot of people I think I felt they were making that show just for me. It's exactly my kind of humour.
The lack of imagination in British film is frightening whats worse is the lack of imagination of the producers of British movies. It's so hard to get any thing different made in the UK. it's so hard to break the mould. Everything is so damned traditional in this country. Any way I'm getting off subject.
Can't wait to see this. WHOOOO role on 8:30pm.

Apologies for my previous post. it's so hard to read(I'm not talking about myself just the post, I can read just fine.)
I'm at work so rushing these posts before i get caught. Also excited about seeing this. and a Whoot for good measure.

Too many good lines to quote, but what really marked Fuzz out was the Nick and Danny characters were comic, but had a lot more depth than the Shaun pair - which were pretty much the Spaced ones. I really like them as rounded characters. Nick especially played his little bit of sadness really well, and the Pegg performance requires him to be a really generous straight man for quite a while. YOU MUST SEE IT!

...ex-pat Brit living outside DC here: they don't even qualify as flamboyant retards in my book. Imagine the worst white trash you've ever met, wearing knock off designer clothing, enabled by the state to live a life that affords them cigarettes and booze without working and rewards them for having children. As the cherry on top, the UK seems to actively cultivate this horrific mind-set. Example: Goody, Jane. I'm glad I left.

I think that’s when it opens on American soil. I simply cannot wait for this film. Great interviews, Quint; with three guys who clearly love what they are doing and are clearly wonderful at what they do. Cheers mates!

And took jokey photos with fake guns in silly poses. There were about 400 people (no bullshit) doing the same thing. And Quint, you saw some of the most beautiful countryside we have in England as Somerset's the most beautiful county. Up yours Norfolk.

tiredpm, do you seriously think that the UK is the only place with Chav's? The USA has their own versions, as do the French, Spanish and even the Cornish. Totally agree with you on the fact that our Government actually makes this lifestyle choice not only attractive, but easy and attainable too. But you've gotta love the fact that Big Brother made Jade Goody, and it finished her too. I once saw her at a recording of 8 Out Of 10 Cats, she has the most disgustingly shaped arse outside of a chubby chasers porn site.

and I have to say on first viewing, I didn't think it was as good as SOTD. Yes there were lots of funny moments, but as you were watching SOTD you just knew, at the very point you were watching it, that this was gonna be one of your favourite films ever. Hot Fuzz didn't have that same feeling for me, and I thought it just got ridiculous towards the end. Entertaining, but pretty ridiculous. Still love Frost, Pegg, Wright and the whole team but those were my first impressions. Of course, chances are i'll probably end up watching it again and I hope its charm grows. As for chavs - its simply a way for the sneering middle classes to ridicule people who can't afford to buy the designer labels they take for granted. "Lets laugh at the poor folk, my God that jewellery must have been made fro tin foil, how uncouth". Its pure class snobbery.

That "Chav is a way of the rich laughing at the poor" argument gets old pretty quick. The "middle classes" don't take designer labels for granted because their disposable income is low. It also assumes that people who are in the lowest earning bracket are chavs. Not the case.

income bracket? The point about "chavs" is that they wear cheap jewellery, fake designer labels - they do this because they are from low income backgrounds. And being middle class isn't just about how much disposable income you have to spend on your holidy to Tuscany, its about values and outlooks on life. Class in general is not just about your bank balance. The whole "chav" thing is old, but to be pretend it is anything other than classism is an attempt at defending the indefensible..

Up in Scotland. Apparently they're known as Greebos somewhere down south. They really are a blight on humanity. And they ARE as bad as the stereotypes. It'd be funny if they didn't go around assaulting old ladies.

It seems if you are working class in the UK you are instantly labelled a chav! How sad you people are that you feel the need to join the silly tabloids (who started this crap) in labelling and painting people of this world with the same brush.
<p>Jog on!

You open your comment by saying "Its Shit", but then in your comment you backpeddle and say "I didn't hate it, any movie referencing Point Break has to have something". Which goes to show you have no idea how you feel about this film. This is a problem I see from most talkbackers. They don't know how to give a reasonable agruement as to why they did or didnt like a film, so they resort to full on bashing a film. Thanks for wasting our time.

Maybe I was just expecting something even funnier than *Red Dwarf* was back in the day. ANd what's up with that special olympics worthy icon design that BBC America is sportin' now? I will still be at this flick on opening night.

... but then again it had a lot to live up to. Having seen Hot Fuzz last night I can agree with others that it's an entertaining movie but it's definitely lacking in some aspects (being too obvious for one). That said, I suspect it will be a grower as well... it just didn't have the initial impact on me that Shaun did. Plenty of great laughs to be had, tho, good action sequences and great to see some of the best of British comedy talent together on film (lots of nicely subtle Shaun references/cameos too). So, for me, not as good as Shaun and it never will be but it's certainly earned a place in my DVD collection.

...we missed you on the shoot of Hot Fuzz by a matter of hours, as we due on location on our first shot of the movie (during Mr Pegg's morning run) not long after your packed up for the big smoke. Enjoy the movie, folks.

The Tow-Truck drivers? (Loved the movie btw). Cedar_Room, my definition of a chav would be someone who wears a hoodie all the time, walks with a gangsta gait, hangs around in gangs as they're so hard, and assaults people for no reason other than boredom and insecurity. Plenty of them are from nice middle-class families, just as plenty of kids from lower-class families go on to do very well for themselves.

Don't expect more of the same as SotD, it's intentionally different. Everything about this film is excellent from the cast to the soundtrack. As mentioned above it has some memorable quotes and will definately benefit from repeat viewing. I did a double take when I saw Edward Woodward as the NWA man, along with all the other actors they've roped in to make a class film this one will obtain a cult following like all before it. Did I like the film? YAARRRRP! Also the guy above who said it got ridiculous towards the end who wouldn't want to see an OAP gunfest? Classic!!

still backpeddling I see. I dont care if you did not like the film. This type of comedy is not for everyone. I just ask that you back the statement up. The fact that you did not like the editor and where confused by the three endings does little to convince me that this film is shit. Besides this is all coming from someone who LOVES HUDSON HAWK. Nuff said.

The jokes were sparse. The editing was supposed to be a parody of Tony Scott style editing but was poorly done and annoying. With a few exceptions the final action sequences lacked humour. I saw it in a crowded cinema and people only laughed a few times. Everyone agreed that it was mediocre.

there are plenty of rich chavs- it is an aspirational lifestyle choice and has less than fuck all to do with the amount of actual money you have. <p> although it is somewhat coincidental that a large majority of them are working class. I think it is something to do with the fact that urban planners crammed people into vile sink estates that breed despair. <p> Having said all that- "shitbag dressed in burberry(sp?)" is probably a better description of them. I would call them arseholes, but an arsehole is something I can't do without. There does seem to be an awful lot of them around nowadays.

I think the point of Hiot Fuzz and to a lesser extent Shawn of the Dead was a re-envisioning of genre. Look at Hot Fuzz as an action movie with elements of comedy. They even hint at it with Bad Boys clips.
<p> Better yet it is very hard to pigeon hole Hot Fuzz. Action film/Homage/Comedy/Ironic social satire it's all of these.
<p> And the underlying gay theme is pretty damn funny also.